MIDDLING Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

middling

adjective

ˈmid-liŋ

Definition of middling

as in average

being about midway between extremes of amount or size tired of the city but not particularly interested in small-town life, he moved to a suburb of middling size

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in decent

of average to below average quality was disappointed in the renowned historian's latest book, which is only middling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of middling Teams don’t have to be much better than middling to sneak into October and hope to ride the variance of tournament baseball to a title. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Given the higher prices teams are willing to pay for talent midseason, and the middling return organizations receive if a player leaves in free agency, the Tigers faced a choice. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Despite the middling score in the economic category, WalletHub’s analysis surmised that Fremont’s happiness is bolstered by its high share (nearly 80%) of households with an income above $75,000. — Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026 Plenty of possibilities Acquiring many middling starting pitchers would also carry the cost of their remaining salary for this season. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for middling

Recent Examples of Synonyms for middling

Adjective

Across this period, there has been a strong correlation between higher average possession and points per game.

— Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
The required earnings amount is adjusted annually to reflect changes in average wages, so the threshold generally rises over time.

— Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of average

Adjective

There was a time when getting a decent electric dirt bike meant spending serious money.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
In the Arabic-speaking pic, Barhom stars as Hichem, a customs officer on the Algerian-Tunisian border, who tries to provide a decent life for his wife Leila and little daughter Zineb.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

The Jays will need many moments in the next month to turn this mediocre season into one worth remembering.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The mediocre screen was an unpleasant surprise given that this thing advertised 100 percent sRGB gamut coverage when it was announced and on its product page for many weeks (the Internet Archive captures it here).

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

The rice is stirred over medium heat for a few minutes, giving the grains time to become opaque or lightly golden and release a toasty, nutty aroma.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2026
In a medium bowl, combine the garlic, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and onions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of medium

Adjective

For the city, the move represents a satisfactory but temporary solution to a months-long dispute over the market’s location that came to a head last week.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
But Olson cautioned people that investigations don’t guarantee a satisfactory outcome for consumers.

— Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Audiences embraced the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares, which transformed ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras into places where something terrifying might be lurking just outside the frame.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
The new measure comes as Moscow and Kyiv ramp up their air campaigns, with Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory sparking fuel shortages and bringing the war closer to home for ordinary Russians.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of ordinary

Adjective

OpenRouter’s worth rests on routing that stays indifferent to who owns the router.

— Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Lawmakers simply closed their ears to the critics and boldly pushed ahead, either oblivious or indifferent to the consequences to Maryland taxpayers.

— Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026